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Ursula Goodenough Ursula Goodenough is a contributor to the NPR blog 13.7: Cosmos & Culture.

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Ursula Goodenough

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Exploring The Religious Naturalist Option

Alexander Burzik/iStockphoto

Opinion

13.7: Cosmos And Culture

Exploring The Religious Naturalist Option

November 23, 2014 • Religious naturalists understand humans to be emergent from and, hence, a part of, nature, says commentator Ursula Goodenough. They also consider the religious potential in these beliefs.

Opinion

13.7: Cosmos And Culture

Farewell To 13.7: The Irresistible Pull Of Science

July 21, 2011 • Ursula Goodenough says goodbye to the 13.7 community, explaining that the pull of the science she is doing in her lab right now leaves little room for the other thoughts.

Taking Stock Of Climate-Change Skeptics

The "Sydney Ice Bear" on Friday in Sydney, Australia. The bear was carved by British artist Mark Coreth from a 10-ton block of ice. The public will be welcomed to touch the bear, leaving imprints that will begin the melting process and act as a metaphor for how humans affect the environment. Lisa Maree Williams/Getty Images hide caption

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Lisa Maree Williams/Getty Images

Opinion

13.7: Cosmos And Culture

Taking Stock Of Climate-Change Skeptics

June 3, 2011 • A discussion around the issue of climate change has commentator Ursula Goodenough feeling a little low. She finds hope and renewal, however, in the words of novelist Jonathan Franzen as he talks about his relationship with nature.

What Motivates Climate Change Deniers?

Joplin, Missouri Julie Denesha/Getty Images hide caption

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Julie Denesha/Getty Images

Opinion

13.7: Cosmos And Culture

What Motivates Climate Change Deniers?

May 26, 2011 • Scientific research tells us that climate change is happening. The science of climate change is the basis for many people's fear about the future. But what motivates people who don't believe in climate change?

Opinion

13.7: Cosmos And Culture

Research Scientists Summed Up: Curious, Flexible and Intellectual

May 19, 2011 • Research scientists sit squarely in the lineage of intellectuals throughout the ages, in all fields of human inquiry.

Opinion

13.7: Cosmos And Culture

Words Of Wisdom For Graduates: Courage, Leadership, Community, Play

May 12, 2011 • It's graduation time and commentator Ursula Goodenough shares part of a speech she gave to students at the University of Southern California. Her advice? Embrace the concepts of courage, community and play!

Opinion

13.7: Cosmos And Culture

Peak Oil In Perspective

May 5, 2011 • Commentator Ursula Goodenough specializes in the development of sustainable biofuels. She shares a graph with us showing the rise and predicted fall of oil production over a 2,500 year time frame.

Indifference: Far And Away The Most Dangerous Human Capacity

A better future is ahead; just follow the kids. Omar Torres/AFP/Getty Images hide caption

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Omar Torres/AFP/Getty Images

Opinion

13.7: Cosmos And Culture

Indifference: Far And Away The Most Dangerous Human Capacity

April 28, 2011 • It's common for most of us to easily move from hope to despair, or from feelings of control to feelings of powerlessness, when confronting the world around us. Commentator Ursula Goodenough argues that there is good reason to settle on hope as our dominant take on the world.

13.7: Cosmos And Culture

The Guise Of Critical Thinking: How Anti-Evolution Bills Mar Science Education

April 21, 2011 • Biologist Ursula Goodenough says that "anti evolution" bills lingering in state legislatures cause considerable collateral damage in science education. The make teachers feel they are walking on eggshells when they arrive at the core topic of biological evolution.

A Toast To The Evolution Of Teaching Standards For High School Biology

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13.7: Cosmos And Culture

A Toast To The Evolution Of Teaching Standards For High School Biology

April 14, 2011 • State teaching standards for high school biology seem to have made significant strides in the last 10 years. Commentator and biologist Ursula Goodenough is participating in a review of the standards published by all 50 states and finds reason for optimism about the future.

Talking Birds, Chatty Babies And The Mysteries Of Language

Got something to say? A pet parrot sits on its perch in Taiwan. Patrick Lin/AFP/Getty Images hide caption

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Patrick Lin/AFP/Getty Images

Opinion

13.7: Cosmos And Culture

Talking Birds, Chatty Babies And The Mysteries Of Language

April 7, 2011 • The ability to talk, or sound like you're talking, can be found in some unexpected places. For instance, some parrots can sound just like their owners. Do they know what they're doing? Is there any meaning there?

'Journey Of The Universe:' The Challenge Of Telling Everybody's Story

The majestic spiral galaxy NGC 4414 as photographed by the Hubble Space Telescope. NASA hide caption

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NASA

13.7: Cosmos And Culture

'Journey Of The Universe:' The Challenge Of Telling Everybody's Story

March 31, 2011 • Filmmakers attempt to tell the story of the universe in a single hour. Impossible? Biologist Ursula Goodenough says the film Journey of the Universe is a triumph.

Opinion

13.7: Cosmos And Culture

The Benefits Of 'Pond Scum' Explained

March 24, 2011 • The benefits of basic scientific research are not always obvious on first glance. When you look more closely, however, you find the work can lead to discoveries that directly impact the lives of everyday people.

13.7: Cosmos And Culture

Disaster Management Proves All To Be All Too Human

March 17, 2011 • The unfolding nuclear calamity in Japan is just another reminder that, no matter how prepared we think we are, humans are fallible creatures guaranteed to make mistakes that we don't foresee.

In Spain, A Symbol Of Interfaith Solutions

Ursula Goodenough/NPR

13.7: Cosmos And Culture

In Spain, A Symbol Of Interfaith Solutions

March 10, 2011 • The Mezquita in Córdoba is the perfect architectural symbol of religious tolerance — if only it was also an ideological compromise.

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